Australian tennis young gun Thanasi Kokkinakis has pulled out of the Sydney International because of an abdominal strain.
Kokkinakis had been set to make his long-awaited singles comeback on Tuesday in Sydney, but tournament organisers have confirmed he won’t face compatriot Jordan Thompson.
A shattered Kokkinakis will have scans this week, with the 20-year-old unsure how serious the latest setback is.
Kokkinakis played just a single competitive singles match in 2016. That clash was at the Rio Olympics.
The 20-year-old, who has endured shoulder, pectoral and groin injuries during a 15-month stretch on the tour sidelines, has been replaced in the draw by lucky loser Nikoloz Basilashvili.